Athletic Club de Bilbao

[Fishdoll]

So, the other shoe dropped this morning in the Bilbao papers. They've finally clued in and publicly admitted that Amorebieta will probably leave at the end of the season. His contract is up in June and he's been 'in negotiations' for a renewal for over a year. Thing is, he's got the same issues with the current regime (coach/president) that Llorente did and he was one of the many guys out with repetitive stress injury (his required surgery). Nothing much has been said publicly about his status so far this season (he remains the one Athletic player not to give a press conference - even Llorente has done one). Then last week, his fiancee posts a pic on Twitter of all their stuff packed up in a mountain of moving boxes.

So not a huge surprise today to see a typically vicious 'he's greedy and selfish, he's betraying Athletic' article in the local Bilbao press. I still don't think it'll get quite as vicious as it did with Llorente because Amorebieta is unquestionably Basque.

In other words, the club isn't in any less of a mess now than it was in August. Really sad to see.

 

[Cule4life]

So llorente wont leave until the summer it seems. They would rather let him go for free and sit him on the bench than making some money and spending it for club development, player salaries, buying a replacement etc Stupid pride. If a player wants to leave what good will it do to forcefully make him stay? Do they think they are teaching him a lesson in loyalty? Bilbao is stuck in the dark ages

 

[Fishdoll]

No, they're punishing him for his treason. They're also showing other playes what will happen to them if they choose not to renew (and the same thing is already starting with Amorebieta but it isn't to the death threats and riot police stage yet). And it's also having the effect of killing whatever team chemistry there was - because the press & fans are always hostile all the time, the effect is showing in the team's dreadful performances this year. Llorente hasn't played well in the few minutes he's been on the pitch, but I think that's perhaps a bit understandable. Thing is, none of the other players are playing very well either. So yeah, Urrutia is getting his way but the cost is a lot higher than losing out on a few million Juve might be willing to offer.

 

[Fishdoll]

Athletic looked like Athletic for the first time this season. Good game all round and 3-0 over Atletico, who are just nasty in every respect.

And as seen at the Lezama train station:

 

[Deco 20]

Great game by the Basques, special mention to Gorka

 

[Cule4life]

For once the focus was on football not on off field issues

 

[messi_xavi_iniesta]

thanks Bilbao

 

[DonAndres]

Happy that Bilbao won. Very impressed with the scoreline as well considering it was Atletico

 

[Boris]

Want to see something interesting ?


Head-to-head matches: ATH. BILBAO - ATL. MADRID

27.01.13 PRI Ath. Bilbao Atl. Madrid 3 : 0
27.08.12 PRI Atl. Madrid Ath. Bilbao 4 : 0
21.03.12 PRI Atl. Madrid Ath. Bilbao 2 : 1
27.10.11 PRI Ath. Bilbao Atl. Madrid 3 : 0
30.01.11 PRI Atl. Madrid Ath. Bilbao 0 : 2
11.09.10 PRI Ath. Bilbao Atl. Madrid 1 : 2
25.03.10 PRI Atl. Madrid Ath. Bilbao 2 : 0
31.10.09 PRI Ath. Bilbao Atl. Madrid 1 : 0
23.05.09 PRI Ath. Bilbao Atl. Madrid 1 : 4
11.01.09 PRI Atl. Madrid Ath. Bilbao 2 : 3
17.02.08 PRI Atl. Madrid Ath. Bilbao 1 : 2
26.09.07 PRI Ath. Bilbao Atl. Madrid 0 : 2

Something suspicious ?
It just seems to me that these two are sharing points trough every season starting from 07-08 until now, and maybe more to come.

 

[Fishdoll]

Doubt there's much suspicious here. The two clubs don't much like each other.

 

[Boris]

That's what makes it a perfect disguise. BTW all the bookmakers lowered the odds few days before, and that sums it up for me.

 

[Fishdoll]

Don't forget your tinfoil beanie, then.

However, you might also want to think about things like the history and politics of the clubs involved. When would a Basque club (especially Athletic) want to collude in anything with a club that's unabashedly SPANISH, esp the club Franco supported?

 

[Deco 20]

When would Basques create a club in Madrid?

 

[Fishdoll]

Well, 3 Basque students did form Atletico in 1903 if that's what you're talking about, Deco. But that's pretty much the only connection there is (which explains the jersey colors), and the Basque/Nationalist Spanish thing totally erases any sympathy there might have been - especially these days when the Athletic leadership is so hardline.

 

[Deco 20]

Yes, that's what I was referring to, but I know there's not much love lost between the sides, especially with recent events such as the EL final and, as you said, the increased Basque sentiment. With that said Atletí are hardly Real Madrid or maybe even Barca in the eyes of most Athletic fans, I'd assume.